Folding door.



J. E. SCHAEPER.

FOLDING DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 2a. 1912.

- Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Jam wmwmg Inventor Witnesses Attorneys J. E. SGHAEPER.

FOLDING DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0M. 23, 1912.

1 ,060, 1 3. V Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses Attorneys 1 JOHN" E. SCHAEFER, OF MOJBRIDGE, SOUTHDAKOT A.

' romaine noon.

Specification as Patent.

Patented a nea, leis.

Application 'fll'ed'october :28, 1912. Serial No. 728,188.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN E. 'SCHAEFER, a citizen of the United States, residingat Mobrid-ge, in the county of Walworth and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Folding Door, of which the following is a specification.

One object ofthe present invention is to provide a novel form of folding door which may be extended to any desired length, the structure being such that the closure may be collapsed wholly. or in part, as may be desire Another object'of the invention is to pro vide novel means for supporting theclosure.

The invention, aims further to provide novel means for directing them'ovements of the parts of the-closure.

- With the above and other objects in view,

which will appear. as the description pro-,

ceeds, the invention resides in the comb1na-- tion and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood thatchanges in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made'within the scope of what is claimed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying draWingS:Figure 1 shows the invention in elevation; Fig. 2 is.

a vertical section; Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the top rollers; Fig. 4 is a perspective of one hinge; Fig. 5 is a perspective of another hinge; Fig. 6 is a perspective of a combined hinge and lower roller; Fig. 7 is a perspective of another of the rollers and attendant parts; Fig. 8 is a perspective of a portion of the locking means; Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmental horizontal sectionsof certain of the doors at their lines of hinged union. Fig. 11 is a transverse section showing a modified form of suspension'means; Fig. 12

is an. elevation showing the upper, door en-.

gaging-element which cooperates with that portion of the structure shown in Fig. 11'; Fig. 13 is a sectional detail showing a door carried means used in connection with Fig. 1,1;"and Fig. 14 ,is a,. side elevationiof the structure shown in Fig. 13.

In the drawings, a door frame 1 is shown, the same havingalong its upper edge a track 2 and along its lower edge a track 3. The tracks 2 and at one end, are cut away as indicated at 4,- for a purpose which will be specified hereinafter. The closure proper comprises a plurality of doors, and of these doors there may be any number.

scri'ption, the-several doors are denoted, respectlvely by the numerals 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, the doors, however, ordinarily being of identical construction, although any form" of door may be used, in any instance.

The doors 5 and 6,7 and 8, and 9 and 10 are connected at their upper edges by hinges which are denoted generally by the numeral 12. One of the hinges 12 appears inFig. 4, and is there shown as comprising plates 14 equipped with interengagi'ng knuckles 15 through which is passed a pin 15". At their upper edges, the plates 14 and 15 maybe prov ded with angularly disposed flanges, 16 which overhang the upperedges oft e doors. The doors6 and 7, and 8 and 9- are connected by hinges which are denoted specifically by the numeral'17. Oneof the hinges 17 is shown in Fig. 3 and comprises plates 18 knuckled tog ether as shown 'at 19, the knuckles 19 receiving a pin 20 which is prolonged beyond the upper edges of the plates 18. The pin 20 constitutes a rotatory support for a wheel 21 which is horizontally.

disposed, the wheel 21 being engaged in the track 2 to move in a horizontal direction.

The doors 5 and 6, 7 and 8, and 9 and 10 are connected at their lower ends by a hinge which is denoted by the numeral 22, one o? the hinges 22 being shown in Fig; 5. The

I In the present invention, six 4 doors are shown, and for convenience in dehinge 22 comprises plates 23 equipped with interfi tting knuckles 24 receiving a pin 25 having an angular extension" 26 which 1s prolonged through the closure, the extenslon 26 terminating in an upright finger 27, vtheuse of which will be set forth hereinafter.

The doors 6 and 7, and the doors 8 and 9 are connected by hin s 28, one of which is shown in detail in ig. 6. Each hinge 28 comprises apair of plates 29 provided with interengaging knuckles 30 receiving a pin 31hav1ng an angular extension 32 at its upper end which outstands from the cloright finger 33 surmounted by an eye 34. The lower end of the pin '31 carries-a transverse head 35 provided with depending bifurcations .36 m which are journaled for .sure, the extension 32 terminating in an'upwhich is located at the bottom of the door frame, the rollers 37 serving to support the closure against vertical movement and the roller 38 serving to prevent lateral movement.

Located along the free edge of the door 10 adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof are supporting members 39, one of which is shown in Fig. 7. The supporting member 39 is equipped with vertical sockets 49 receiving a pin 41 carrying at one end with a horizontal roller 42 which is received within one track. The pin 41 is equipped at its other end with a lateral extension 43, outstanding from the closure, the extension 43 terminating in an upright finger 44 which carries an eye 45. In order to maintain the closure in the doorway, as-shown in Fig. 1, the door jamb 'may be provided with a locking device 46 of any desired sort, adapted to interengage with the door frame 1.

The operation of the structure as thus far described, is as follows When it is desired to open the doorway, the several doors are pushed to the left in Fig. 1. Under such circumstances, the doors 5 and 6 will first swing upon their hinges 22 and 12, and the doors 7 and 8 remaining in alinement until the rollers 21 and 38 stand opposite to the openings 4 in the tracks 2 and 3. The doors- 7 and 8 will fold upon their hinges, and the doors 9 and 10 will fold likewise, the roller 21 and the roller 38 which are located between the doors 8 and 9, ultimately coming opposite the openings 4 in the tracks. Thereupon the doors, in-- folded position, may be swung horizontally upon the hinges 11 so as to uncover the entire doorway, and, if desired, since the hinges 11 comprise separable parts, the closure, as an entity, may be detached entirely from the door frame 1. It is obvious that, if desired, the doors 9 and 10 may be folded together, the doors 5, 6, 7 and 8 remaining in alinement, thereby disclosing but a portion of the doorway. Similarly, the doors 9, 10, 8 and 7 may be folded together, the doors 5 and 6 being in alinement to cover part of the doorway.

It is to be observed that when the several doors extend across the doorway as shown in Fig. 1, the closure as an entity may bulge slightly at the lines of connection between the doors 5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10, because these doors at their points of hinge, carry no members which engage with the tracks 2 and 3. To prevent the bulging of the doors above described a mechanism is provided on the inner side of the closure which will now be set forth in detail.

To the end above mentioned, -a plurality of rigid bars 47 are provided, the same being disposed in pairs, and being pivotally united as indicated at 48. The remote ends of the pairs ofthe bars 47 are pivotally supported by the eyes 45 and 34, for ver- 1 tically swinging movement, but not for horizontally swinging movement, that bar 47 which is at the extreme left hand end of the device in Fig. 1 being connected with an extension 49 forming a part of the pin of the'lower hinge 11. Adjacent their points 38. of pivotal connection the pairs of bars are supported by the extensions 26 and drop behind the fingers 27. The extensions 26 lie in line which is slightly above the line connecting the eyes 34, and consequently the hingedly connected bars 47- will lmuckle upwardly when the doors are slid laterally. However, owing to the nature of the connection 48'between the bars 47 and owing to the fact that bars 47 adjacent their point of pivotal union 48 are engaged behind the fingers 27, the bars will not yield horizontally. Fromthe foregoing it will be seen that the several doors, when positioned as shown in Fig. 1, will stand in alinement, there being no opportunity for the doors 5 and 6, 7 and 8 and 9 and 10 to bulge at their lines of hinged union.

It is within the scope of the invention to support the closure from its top, instead of from its bottom. Referring to Figs. 11, 12,

13 and 14, the pintle 50 of the hinge member 17* carries a yoke 51 supporting wheels 52 adapted to engage an overhead track 53.

Having thus described the invention what I is claimed. is v '1. Ina device of the class described, a supportna primary door hinged to the suport; a track; secondary doors; hinges unitin the doors, certain of the hinges being independent of the track to permit a folding of the doors and others of the hingeshaving elements to engage the track; and a locking means for holding a ainst movement those hinges which are in ependent of the track,

said means being automatically releasable when the secondary doors are slid along the track.

2. In a device ,of the class described, a support; "a primary door hinged to the support; a track having an opening adjacent the support; secondary doors, hinges unit'- ing the doors, certain of the hinges being independent of the track to permit a folding of the doors and others of the hinges having elements to engage the track, said elements being movable through the opening when ing the doors, in e the primary door is swung upon its hinges; and locki'ng means for holding against move-. ment those hinges which are independent of the track, said means being automatically releasable when the secondary doors are slid along the track.

3. In a device of the class described, a support; a primary door hinged to the support; a track having an opening adjacent the support; secondary doors; hinges uniting the doors, certain of the hinges being in ependent of the track to permit a folding of the doors and others of the hinges having elements to engage the track, said elements being movable through the opening when'the primary door is swung upon its hinges; and hingedly connected bars supported at their ends for movement parallel to the doors only, the bars constituting looking means for holding against movement those hinges which are independent of the track, the bars being foldable automatically whenthe secondary doors are slid along the track. I

4. In a" device of the class described, a support; a primary door hinged to the support; a track having an opening adjacent the support; secondary doors; hinges unitcertain of the hinges being pendent of the track to permit a folding of the doors, and others of the hinges having elements to engage thetrack, said elements being movable through the opening when the primary door is swung upon its hinges; and hingedly connected bars supported at their ends for movement parallel to the ported.

5. In a device of the class described, a support; a primary door hinged to the support; secondary doors; hinges uniting the doors; a track; track engaging projections located adjacent the line of juncture of alternate secondary doors; and locking means for holding the doors in pairs against bulging, the locking means being automatically releasable when the secondary doors are slid along the track,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses;

JOHN E. SCHAEFER.

and the other hinges hav- 1 ing elements upon which the bars are sup- 

